Nutrition

New IDDSI nutrition framework

From April 2019, care homes are encouraged to move to using International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI), a new global framework for texture modified foods and fluids. The aim for the framework is for all healthcare professionals to use the same terminology to describe food and fluids to improve patient safety and reduce resident risks.

To improve safety for residents at risk of choking or asphyxiation, Person Centred Software has incorporated IDDSI into its electronic care planning system, Mobile Care Monitoring. IDDSI is already mandatory for some care providers, for instance care home in Bedfordshire are already expected to adhere to the framework.

"A soft diet could mean many different textures, whereas with IDDSI on Mobile Care Monitoring we now have a way to evidence the consistency of food and fluids and reduce the risk of choking and asphyxiation. Agency staff and hospitals are also very clear on what texture diet our residents need.”

Debbie Field, Operations Manager at Benslow Care Homes

IDDSI available in Mobile Care Monitoring

The new IDDSI framework available in Mobile Care Monitoring prioritises patient safety, reducing the risk of harm to residents and keeping them safer. By incorporating the IDDSI framework into Mobile Care Monitoring, Person Centred Software helps to alleviate any additional burden of documenting IDDSI framework manually from the care provider.

The new functionality relates to CQC’s key lines of enquiry, in particular, E3.5: helping care staff to identify and manage risks to people with complex needs in relation to their eating and drinking.

“We have adopted the IDDSI categorisation of food and fluid into our electronic evidence of care planning system, so that care staff can see what type of diet a resident requires, and quickly evidence the food texture along with what the resident ate. Additionally, food allergies and food textures are clearly displayed as risks for the carer at the point of care on the mobile app as well as an improved MUST weight loss assessment.”

Andrew Coles, Head of Product at Person Centred Software